Haruno [ON HOLD]

Chapter Twenty

I can't remember much. Only darkness, pain and blood? Maybe. When I come back to my senses, I am lying in the puddle of mud, surrounded by people. They are murmuring, some even crying.
I slowly start getting up. My whole body struggling to do so. My breathing hitches as I look around. Their movements stop and all of them start looking at me, shocked.

"Sakura!" Hinata is the first one to come to her mind and with this call, she hugs me tightly. I smile at her actions, happy to see one of my best friends, alive.

"Hina-chan." I whisper softly and pat her back. I can spot tears in her pale eyes, and soft smile spread on her lips. "I'm glad you are okay." I whisper with smile and she nods, wiping her tears away.

"Hime-chan!" Ino shrieks and hugs me even tighter than Hinata did. I smile at her and shake my head, pain shooting up and down my body. "What you did back there... it was pretty cool!" She screams loudly and hugs me again. "But don't do it again." And with that she starts sobbing.

Sai appears in front of me with a small smile and takes Ino away from me. It actually causes me to smile. They have been together for over a year now and... they are going strong.

"Sakura-chan." The sound is low, and unsure. I slowly turn around and face the sun-kissed blonde who is looking desperately at me with ocean blue eyes. His face is morphed into worried, tear stained mess. "I-I w-was w-worried." He stutters like Hinata used to around me at first and wipes the tears away from the corners of his eyes.

"Naruto." I whisper his name softly and something inside of me breaks. "You are our hero." I say with small smile plastered on my lips and with that I gently hug him. "I missed you, brother." I whisper again and smile happily.

***

Days are dull. Nothing is happening. The trees are unmoving and whole village is working on rebuilding and returning the previous glory to the Hidden Leaf.
I have never seen people, so united before. They are working together, smiling at each other and actually taking care of each other.
I wander the streets and smile fondly as I see that everyone is working, or helping in one way or another.

"Sakura-Hime!" The voice, which is so familiar to me, yells from the other side of the street and in a second appears next to me.
His green suit and bowl like head makes him impossible to miss. Rock Lee is standing in front of me, with large as he refers 'youthful' smile on his face.

"Lee... how many times should I tell you to stop calling me that?" I sigh while rubbing the sides of my head. He looks at me, unfazed with the words I told him.

"Sakura-Hime!" He calls me again and annoys me even more. "I was wondering how your youthfulness was doing." He tells me and wigs his eyebrows.

I can barely contain my laugh as he starts acting like the 'cool dude'. I have been telling him that this behavior wouldn't help him with the girls, but he doesn't seem to listen.

"I am fine, thanks. I guess." I smile at him and shake my head at his antics. "Lee, why are you here?" I ask him after the minute of silence between us.

His face becomes serious and his eyes darkens, which tells me that whatever he is here for, I won't like.

"Lee...?" I call him gently again and he sighs. He looks dead serious in my eyes and something about this makes me think of the horrible things that might happen.

"It's..." he gulps and looks down in fear and shame. "It's about Hokage-Sama..." He whispers again and looks directly in my jade orbs. "Tsunade-San needs you, Sakura."